Since Dasani and I are going to climb the Deadly Bells via the Maroon Traverse this weekend, time to hike into the Maroon Bells Scenic Area!
I was lucky enough to score campsite number four in the lottery back in February, and Tom and Shelby made time in their busy lives to spend the weekend camping with us.
Getting into the Maroon Bells is an adventure in itself – hope you can score a parking pass at the trailhead and if not – hope you can score a reservation for a ride on the shuttle bus.
Getting reservations on recreation.gov is harder than climbing the fourteeners!
Colette dropped us off at the parking lot for the shuttle since parking there is $50 a day! $150 a weekend to PARK. Then $16 per person for the shuttle. Then $86 to camp in your own tents!
Pretty ridiculous, but this is the most popular area in Colorado and the Maroon Bells are the most photographed mountain peaks in North America.
No More Photos
I think this photo is take number ten
Loaded Up
I look like a movie prop
Typical Tourists
Getting the must-do selfie at Maroon Lake with the Deadly Bells in the background
Easy Hike Up
It’s a nice easy two mile 800 feet of elevation hike up to our campsite at Crater Lake.
Maroon-Snowmass Trail
It’s a lot of rock and rubble underfoot, but the trail itself is pretty easy.
After an easy hike in we all wandered down to Crater Lake and poked around before an early bedtime.
North Maroon Creek
Watching North Maroon Creek meander its way to Crater Lake.
Towards The Pass
Taking a moment to gaze up towards Maroon Pass.
Saturday morning Dasani and I were up at 2am for our climb, and the kids spent the day wandering around waterfalls and making fine art photos.
After post-climb celebratory beers we returned to the lake and wandered around making more photographs.
Bushwhacking
Shelby said – I know there’s a meadow right over here with flowers….
Little Lump
Said meadow with said flowers
Flower Holder
Keeping the flowers still for macro photography
I poked my head out of my tent at 2am to see if the skies looked good for astrophotography, but there were high altostratus or cirrostratus clouds blocking most of the stars so I returned to slumber until 5am when I headed down to the lake with coffee to get setup for sunrise photos.
So many sunrise reflection photos that it’s hard to sort through them and decide which ones are keepers. They’re all good – and that’s not the photographer, it’s just impossible to take a bad photo here with the right light and the right spot.
Perfectly Still
A perfectly still reflection of the Maroon Bells on Crater Lake
Sunrise Lull
Bands of clouds move across the Maroon Bells
Crystal Clear
The shallow water of Crater Lake is crystal clear.
Wood Pile
The east end of Crater Lake is filled with dead trees piled up by avalanches and snowmelt.
Early breakfast, break camp, and make the two mile hike back to the trailhead in exactly one hour.
Safe Return
We are all happy to be back!
After we parted ways at the parking lot, a fat burger and sweet potato fries washed down with tasty IPAs at the Tipsy Trout in Basalt makes for a perfect way to finish off the weekend!
Just Rewards
A massive burger and fries at the Tipsy Trout is a perfect reward for a hard climb!
